Madison County Schools Decision Angers Parents

Madison County Schools Decision Angers Parents

Parents were upset Wednesday when Madison County Schools decided to continue bus routes as tornado sirens went off in the county.

Many parents called Madison County Schools "a disappointment" Wednesday.

Early that morning--from around 6:30 a.m. to 6:50 a.m.--a tornado warning was in effect for Madison County.

But the school buses were still picking up children.

"We already had buses en route in our district. In order for us to cancel school, we have to make that decision between five and five-thirty a.m.," said Erin Stewart, Community Education Director for Madison County Schools.

Stewart says the school system doesn't have a delay system, either, so there was no way to set schools--and their buses--back by any amount of time.

Michele Saylor was one of many parents that wrote on the Madison County Schools Facebook page, expressing their dissatisfaction with the schools' decision.

"I've never written before, but I decided to write this morning and tell them my views--that I was upset," said Saylor.

Her kids got on a school bus at 7 a.m.--ten minutes after the sirens had stopped.

"If the warning had been in effect, then I would've made the choice to keep them home."

School officials said they're considering a delay system. They also stress that they were consistently on the phone with the county's emergency management team to ensure everyone was safe.